Automatic cut-off mechanism for electric stills



May 205 1930. A. M. BERG AUTOMATIC CUT-DFF' MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICSTILLS 2 Sheds-Sheet l l l l .f ,f Mm L May 20, 1930. A. M. BERGAUTOMATIC CUT-OFF MEGHANISM FOR ELECTRIC STILLS Filed April 24, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 .5g fjleaf'azzdfjejgg,

Patented May 20, 1930 L" ITED STATES PATENT -oFFlci- .AJEXANDER .'M.BERG, 0F CHICAGO, IILINOIS, .ASSIGNOR TO PRECISION SCIENTIFIC COMPANY,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS AUTOMATIC CUT-OFFMECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC STILLS Application led April 24,

My invention relatesA to automatic cut-oli' mechanisms for electricstills. The principal object of my invention is to devise a safetycut-od mechanism for use in connection with electrically operateddistillation apparatus which shall be characterized by an entirelyautomatic mode of functioning, with aresulting avoidance of anynecessity for close attention to the stills during operation. A furtherobject is the provision of a cut-ott' mechanism of the general typedescribed which, in addition to interrupting the current flow to theheating element of the still when the water supply becomes insucient,also includes a warning signal that operates to give notice of astoppage of the still. Other objects ofthe invention will become moreapparent in the following specication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, and a novel means by which said objects areedectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a preterred form ot electric still,showing my improved cut-otl mechanism attached thereto.,

llig. 2 is view, partly in section, looking in the direction ot thearrows shown in F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagram ot the electrical connection utilized in connectionwith my improved mechanism.

The numeral 10 designates a plurality oi supporting legs which carry thewater casing 11 having any desired term ot inlet or supply connection12. Positioned within said casing is a condensing chamber 13 whichcommunicates with a vapor tube lll positioned within second waterchamber 15 which is attached externally to the casing 11, communicatingtherewith and extending upwardly theretrom. rll`he tube 14 extendsupwardly beyond the chamber 15 and communicates with a steam dome 16having a separating baille 17 positioned adjacent the outlet thereof.rilhe dome 16 is carried over a retort chamber 18 which communicateswith the water chamber `15 by means of a passage 19,.

1929. Serial N0. 357,620.

ally mounted on a pintle 23 carried in a casing 24, said casing beingsupportedy by a water chamber 25 which is generall f lmilar to thechamber 15, but disposed on t opposite side of the casing l1 therefrom.r"he chamber 25 communicates with the casing il and has positionedtherein an overflow tube 26 which projects through the bottom of thecasing to form a drain 27. Formed with the casing 24: is a float chamber28 which communie tes with the water chamber 25 by means of a pipe 29and a float 30 ismounted to operate in tl chamber 28, being connected tothe switch 22 by means of an arm 31. Hence, it will be obvious thatfluctuation of the water level in the float chamber 28 will causemovement of the ball .30 and eilect a '.lting of the switch 22 withcorresponding changes in the level position of the mercury contained insaid switch. A lead 32 connects the electric heating element 20 to anydesired source of electrical energy and a similar lead 37 connects thswitch 22 with said source. T he leads 21, 32 and 37 may be encased inflexible cables 34 and 35 which are carried in any appropriate manner onthe still.,

'i' In operation, water will be supplied to the casing 11 through thesupply inlet 12, rising upwardly in said chamber "to flow into thechambers 15 and 25 and into the retort chamber 18 through the passage 19until it reaches some level such as is indicated generally in` Fig. l,the overflow tube 26 being utilized for the purpose of maintaining aconstant level in the retort 18. The steam which is created by theboiling ot the water in 'the retort chamber 18 rises upwardly into thedome 1G and passes downwardly through the vapor tube 14 where it iscondensed and is received within the condensing chamber 13, iinallybeing delivered to an outlet 38. The rate of flow of inlet water isproportional to the amount of distilling as well as condensing steam forany temperature desired, that is, the higher the rate of iow through thecondcnsing chamber, the cooler the condensate will flow from lthe outlet38. The construction and operation of the still described in thisapplication in and of itself forms no part of my invention, but has beendescribed times dependent upon the level of the liquid in said chamber,

lln testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

ALEXANDER M. BERG.

28 through the pipe 29 and will theefore X cause a rising and a fallingmovement of the ball 30. lf it should happen that the depth of the waterin the retort chamber 18 above" the heating element 20 should fall belowa point that would endanger the still and possibly cause a burning outof said element, the

ball 30 will move downwardly within the chamber 28, thus moving themercury switch 22 into such a position that the mercury 36 thereof willno longer aord a means of electrical connection between the terminals ofsaid switch, this functional characteristic of the mercury switch beingWell known and f of itself forming no part of my invention.

When the mercury switch has been moved to the position just indicated,current liow to the heating element 2Q is interrupted and the stillceases operation. As a further in dicating means that the still hasceased to function, l contemplate the use of a signal means such as isembodied in an electric lamp t 33 that is bridged` across the mainheating circuit. Vthen the heating circuit is inter-` rupted by atilting of the mercury switch 22,

be remote from the still of the condition octhe Alamp 33 will beextinguished and will therefore give notice to an operator who maycurring. llt will be observed, however, that the lamp has been soconnected in' the main circuitthat an accidental extinguishment, usuallythrough burning out, will not affect the operation of the still.,

l7l7hile lhave shofwn one set of elements and combinations thereof fore`ectuating my improved automatic cut-0E mechanism, it will beunderstood that vthe same is intended for purpose of illustration onlyand in no wise to restrict myarrangement to the exact form and structureshown, for many changes may. be made therein without departing from the'spirit of my inventionLn ll claim:

llnan electric distillation apparatus, the combination of a @porizingcasing, anrelec tric heating element therefor, a pair of chamberscommunicating y ith said casing and disposed on opposit sides thereof,'acondensation tube extending from said `casing into one of said chambers,a separate float chamber communicating with the other of'said, chambersand free of the disturbances and precipitations set up by said element,a float located in said chamber, a mercury switch electrically connectedtd said element, and means operatively connecting'A ysaid float andswitch, the movement of said float operating to complete and break thecircuit through the switch at predetermined

